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Morphological variation in British Folsomia quadrioculata Tullberg (Collembola: Isotomidae): a multivariate study
Author(s) -
WETTON MARK N.
Publication year - 1987
Publication title -
systematic entomology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.552
H-Index - 66
eISSN - 1365-3113
pISSN - 0307-6970
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-3113.1987.tb00201.x
Subject(s) - biology , zoology , juvenile , variation (astronomy) , principal component analysis , multivariate analysis , taxonomy (biology) , multivariate statistics , ecology , statistics , physics , mathematics , astrophysics
. Morphological variation among freshly caught specimens resembling Folsomia quadrioculata Tullberg was examined using principal components analysis and canonical variates analysis. Two distinct groups were identified corresponding with F. quadrioculata and F.manolachei Bagnall. Previous workers have questioned the specific status of F.manolachei and regarded these two species as inseparable using morphometric characters. A study of specimens previously identified as F. quadrioculata suggested that many were mis‐identified and that F.manolachei is more abundant in the British Isles than is usually thought. Variation in some characters traditionally used to identify Folsomia species was examined and a method for distinguishing adult and juvenile F.quadrioculata from F.manolachei is provided. The synonomy of F.nana Gisin with F.manolachei is supported. The separation of F.diplothalma Axelson from F. quadrioculata is discussed, concluding that no characters are known which can reliably separate British specimens of these species.